Tried by Fire
by amitai
Summary: A spinoff of Sara Wolfe's 'Tried by Fire', in which Edmund is the first into Narnia. In this version, instead of going back to get his siblings, he stays five years older, and meets them when they arrive... CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN.
1. Chapter 1

Hi - I'm vedetta. Just a quick word before we start off on this particular story...

This is a spin off from Sara Wolfe's excellent story _Trial by Fire_ (Hence the name of this story). It's written with the full knowledge and consent of Sara Wolfe, and the first chapter, and the first bit of the second, are entirely hers. The idea is also (surprisingly enough) hers. If you are reading this without reading the original, that's fine, it can be read that way, though I highly reccommend you go and read it, because it is a brilliant story. In fact, it's so good, it inspired me to write this!

If you doubt what I'm saying, email me (you can get my address of my profile page), or, if you think that I'm such a piece of lying scum you don't trust me to answer truthfully, send Sara Wolfe an private message, and I'm sure that she'll tell you that she gave me her permission to write and post this. I'd prefer it if you didn't, because by doing so, you bother her when I'm certain she's got better things to do with her time, and you also tacitly imply that I'm a piece of lying scum. Which makes me very unhappy, unsurprisingly.

Now, onto the story. I should just quickly mention - I will try to make this as original as possible, and use as much of my own ideas as I can. Sara Wolfe's story is, as I've said, amazing, but I don't want to take any more from it but the general idea. This is her idea with my wild imaginings tacked on. The only thing that's different so far is that Edmund stays in Narnia, and so doesn't go back to being a twelve year old. My writing style is different to hers - it may not be as good. I apologise for that, but I warn y ou - I refuse to be flamed and/or given a bad review on the grounds that I don't write like her, or that I'm stealing stories. I think I've made it pretty clear that I'm doing neither.

DISCLAIMER: CS Lewis was far cleverer than me - and he can make up entire fictional worlds in his head, complete with gods, laws and history. Me, I have to wait until somebody else does it, then use their worlds. So it's a safe bet to say, I don't own Narnia.

**NOW** we're on to the story.

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* * *

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**Trial By Fire**

**Chapter One: Nighttime Wanderings**

_It all began with a glass of water._

_At least, that's what Edmund told himself in later years. Yes, circumstances and his own natural curiosity led him into going through the wardrobe and into Narnia, but the glass of water was what had gotten him out of bed in the first place._

_Oh, how well he remembered…_

Peter Pevensie awoke from a sound sleep during his first night at the professor's house, to see a dark shape rising from the bed next to his.

"Ed, it's the middle of the night," he said, blinking sleep out of his eyes. "Where do you think you're going?"

Edmund glared at his older brother as he defiantly stood up.

"I'm thirsty and I'm going to get a drink of water," he snapped, quietly, so as not to wake his sisters in the next room. "Do you mind?"

"Macready makes nightly bed checks, and if she catches you out of bed, she'll be furious," Peter told him. "Can't this wait until morning?"

"No, it can't," Edmund said, as he walked toward the door, now more to annoy Peter than to go for the water, itself.

"You're going to get in a lot of trouble," Peter warned him. "And when you do, don't expect me to bail you out of it."

Edmund snorted, and returned to his bed, laying his pillows lengthwise on the bed before covering them with his blankets.

"That's not going to fool her, you know," Peter observed, coolly.

"I don't care," Edmund said, stalking out of the room they shared.

He made it to the bathroom and downed three cups of water, before he'd calmed down enough to stop shaking with anger.

He didn't like being away from home, away from Mom and Dad. He didn't like how everyone around him insisted on treating him like a child. He didn't like that Dad was off at war, risking his life for a bunch of people they didn't even know. And, most of all, he didn't like this place, with its elusive Professor, and the uptight Mrs. Macready, and all the rules. Don't run, don't shout, don't get underfoot, and don't disturb the Professor.

_'There probably is no Professor,'_ Edmund thought cynically. _'He's probably just someone Macready created to scare little kids. Like Lucy.'_

Thinking of his little sister only served to make him angry all over again. Peter and Susan thought he was cruel in the way he treated Lucy, when they'd conveniently forgotten that they'd treated him the same way when he had been Lucy's age.

_'But then that's the way it is,'_ he thought, bitterly. _'Peter's the responsible, mature one, Susan's the perfect one, Lucy's the cute one, and me? I'm the screw-up.'_

Edmund noticed that he was becoming agitated, all over again, so he took a few deep, slow breaths to calm himself. When he'd cooled out of his temper and felt ready to face his family without betraying his hidden emotions, he left the bathroom, but froze when he heard a heavy footfall nearing him.

_'Macready,'_ he thought, looking around frantically for an escape. _'If she catches me out here, I'm dead!'_

Moving as silently as he could, he ran along the length of the hallway, trying doorknobs as he went. Room after room was locked, and he was cursing his bad luck, as the footsteps got closer, when a doorknob turned noiselessly in his grip. Not stopping to think about it, he ducked into the room, shutting the door behind him.

The room was empty, except for a large, ornately decorated wardrobe placed in the center of the room. Edmund was about to lean against the door with relief when it struck him that Macready might be checking the rooms, themselves.

Desperately, he lunged across the room and wrenched the door of the wardrobe open. He lurched inside, pulling the door closed behind him, just as the doorknob turned. Leaving the wardrobe door propped open slightly, so as not to lock himself in, Edmund held his breath and began backing up, expecting at any moment to touch the rough wood of the back paneling with his fingers. Instead, to his immense surprise, he encountered what felt like pine needles.

Forgetting the need to be quiet, Edmund whirled around in surprise, and stared, shocked at the sight before him. The wardrobe had no back. Instead, he saw before him a long stretch of snow-covered land, with two mountain peaks in the distance.

Edmund blinked slowly, before looking around. As though to reassure him that he wasn't dreaming, the coats and other clothing items of the wardrobe surrounded him on three sides. A large pine tree stood almost directly in front of him. Putting out a hand, Edmund touched first one of the coats, and then the tree's branch. Both felt incredibly real, and Edmund felt himself swelling inexplicably with amazement.

Slowly, as though in a trance, Edmund continued forward. He stopped the instant his slipper-shod feet touched snow, however, and thinking quickly, he shoved his feet into a pair of boots and pulled one of the fur coats on over his pajamas. Then, he continued forward into the stillness, looking at the world around him in wonder.

"This is amazing," he whispered, fearing that he would break whatever spell he was under if he spoke any louder. He walked until he reached a lamppost burning brightly in the middle of the wooded clearing andhe could no longersee the wardrobe.

Then, he stopped cold at the sound of a branch breaking. A rush of fear made his chest tighten, and he looked around, nervously.

"Hello?" he called out, softly, even as a little voice in his head wondered if making his presence known was such a bright idea.

Behind him, the trees rustled, and he whirled in time to see a magnificent chestnut stallion stepping delicately towards him.

"Oh," he gasped, as the horse approached him slowly. "Aren't you gorgeous?"

"Thank you," the horse replied.

Edmund gave an undignified yelp, stumbling backwards and tripping over his feet to land in a heap in the snow. His eyes grew wide as the stallion came closer.

"You talked!" he said, wondering if he was going mad. "Horses don't talk."

"In Narnia they do," the horse replied, clearly nonplused. "And my name is Philip, just so you know."

Edmund scrambled to his feet, eyeing Philip warily.

"My name is Edmund," he said, after a moment. "Edmund Pevensie."

The horse considered him for a long moment, and then spoke again.

"Tell me, Edmund Pevensie, are you a Son of Adam?"

"A what?" Edmund asked, before his Biblical knowledge came back to him, and he thought he understood.

"Do you mean Adam and Eve?" he asked. "The first people, who were created by God?"

"Of course," Philip said.

"I guess so," Edmund said slowly, amazed at how quickly he adjusted to the idea of a talking horse, "although we just call ourselves humans."

"Human, then," Philip said. "And your land is called Earth?"

"Ye-es," Edmund replied, wondering just what Philip was getting at.

"Do you have any siblings?" Philip asked, rather than assuaging Edmund's curiosity.

"Three," Edmund answered. "One brother and two sisters. Why do you want to know?" he demanded.

"Forgive me," Philip told him, "but I have a reason for my questions. You see, Narnia is stricken by the curse of an evil witch, and we have suffered an endless winter for one hundred years.

"But there is a prophecy that states that when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve sit on the thrones of Cair Paravel, the witch's reign will end, and winter will be broken."

"And where is Cair Paravel?" Edmund asked, his curiosity dragging the question out of him.

"It is by the sea," Philip replied. "The White Witch seeks to overtake it, furthering her control over Narnia and its people."

"She sounds awful," Edmund whispered, shivering instinctively in fear.

"She is," Philip told him. "But now that you have come here, you and your siblings can defeat her and save us."

"Wait a minute," Edmund began, but Philip tossed his head, suddenly, and pranced closer to Edmund.

"Get on my back," he said, quietly. "Hurry, quickly," he insisted, as Edmund hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Edmund asked, frightened, as he hoisted himself onto Philip's bareback and grabbed a handful of his mane, grateful for the summers he'd spent horseback riding on his uncle's farm.

"The Secret Police," Philip told him, starting forward, looking around cautiously. "The White Witch must know you're here, if she's sent her wolves out on the hunt."

"Wolves?" Edmund whispered, feeling terror bloom inside him. "Can you outrun wolves?"

"We're about to find out," Philip said, grimly.

Edmund swallowed hard, settling himself more firmly on Philip's back as Philip launched into a brisk canter. Then, they both heard a faint howl, and Philip broke into a swift gallop. Edmund clung tightly to his mane, sticking to the stallion's back like a burr.

"I don't see any wolves," Edmund said, but promptly took back his words as he caught a flash of gray through the white of the snow all around them.

"They're faster than I thought," Philip said, increasing his already frantic pace. "We may not be able to outrun them. We may have to fight."

"Fight how?" Edmund whimpered, fearfully.

"Any way we can," Philip told him.

They ran in silence for a few moments that seemed to last an eternity. The only sounds Edmund heard were Philip's hoof beats on the hard-packed snow, and his own frantic heartbeat pounding in his ears.

Suddenly, Philip slammed to a halt, and Edmund was thrown up on his neck. Looking forward, he saw, to his immense terror, a large gray wolf blocking their path.

"Give me the boy," the wolf growled, as the rest of his pack surrounded them slowly. "Turn over the Son of Adam, and we let you live."

"You're not going to touch him, Maugrim," Philip declared. In a lower voice, he told Edmund, "Stay on my back, no matter what happens."

Edmund nodded, too terrified to do anything else, and Philip rolled his eyes backto look at the wolves advancing on them. Suddenly, without any warning, Philip lashed out, catching one of the wolves squarely in the stomach with his massive back hooves. Even as the wolf flew backward to slam into a tree, Philip whirled around and reared, bringing his weight down on another wolf's head.

Edmund clung desperately to Philip as the stallion turned into a demon, using his hooves and teeth in a decidedly deadly manner. But it wasn't enough. Slowly, he was being worn down by the wolves' relentless attacks.

_'I have to do something!' _Edmund thought, desperately. As if in answer to his silent despair, the tree they were under suddenly groaned and a large branch dropped directly into his lap.

Not stopping to think about his sudden good fortune, Edmund seized the thick branch with both hands and swung with all his might at a wolf that lunged at Philip's hindquarters. The wolf yelped in pain as Edmund's makeshift weapon connected solidly with its face, and fell back, blood streaming from several new wounds.

"You'll pay for that, human," the wolf vowed, readying itself to spring again, but at that moment, Philip suddenly launched himself out of the circle the pack had formed, and raced away.

Not daring to let go of his weapon, Edmund tucked the branch in close to his body as he gripped a chunk of Philip's mane in his fist, the wind stinging his face as they ran.

"The pack," Philip gasped, doubling his pace. "Are they following us?"

Edmund glanced under his arm, looking for any telltale flashes of gray on white.

"I don't think so," he said, after a moment.

"Good," Philip said. "But just in case-"

His voice trailed off as he veered sharply to the right, a move that nearly unseated Edmund. For a few more seconds, they ran along a trail, then Edmund heard the splashing of water.

"The rivers and streams are thawing," Philip said, as they galloped along the river. "If they were still frozen, I couldn't do this, but the flowing water will wash away our scent tracks."

"That's good," Edmund whispered, unable to think of anything else to say.

Suddenly, Philip leapt out of the river and onto the bank, his pace slowing from a frantic gallop to a steady trot, following the curve of a rock face looming on their right side. Up ahead, Edmund thought he saw a dark area, and his suspicions were confirmed when Philip swerved into a well-hidden cave entrance. He stopped when they reached the back, his sides heaving as he gasped for breath.

"We can rest here," Philip said, as Edmund slowly slid off his back.

"Are they going to find us?" Edmund asked, peering nervously at the entrance of the cave, fearing that he would hear the distant howl of wolves.

"Not for a while," Philip said, wearily. "It will take them some time to pick up our trail, again, and by then, we will be long gone from here."

"Thank you," Edmund whispered, softly. "For saving me, thank you."

"You're welcome," Philip said.

"You're hurt," Edmund said, suddenly, seeing the various gashes on Philip's flanks.

"It's nothing," Philip said, but Edmund had already shrugged out of his coat and ripped the sleeve off his pajamas.

Darting to the cave entrance, he grabbed a handful of snow and allowed it to melt, soaking the scrap of cloth. Then, he gingerly dabbed at Philip's wounds, washing away as much of the blood as he could.

"I don't think there's much more I can do," he said, apologetically.

"It is enough, for now, thank you," Philip said, as he turned and inspected Edmund's work.

Then, he turned and looked at Edmund, before speaking again in his deep, rough voice.

"Welcome to Narnia, young Prince."


	2. Chapter 2

Like I said before - all credit to Sara Wolfe. Thanks - enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Nope, still not mine...

* * *

"Well?" Philip asked, as Edmund rejoined him outside.

"I need to go back to the Lantern Waste," Edmund told him. "It's time to get my siblings."

"Let's go, then," Philip said. At Edmund's incredulous look, he continued.

"Have the last five years taught you nothing?" he snorted. "I'm certainly not going to let you go wandering around the Lantern Waste alone, especially since, knowing you, you're going to be unarmed."

"Well, I certainly can't carry a sword with me back to Professor Kirke's house," Edmund protested.

"Which is why I'm going to be going with you," Philip explained. "I can carry your sword back to camp – the Witch still has a bounty on your head, you know."

"Don't remind me," Edmund muttered, climbing aboard Philip's back.

As they set out toward the Lantern Waste, Edmund couldn't help but think of all that could possibly go wrong to keep them from reaching their destination. The journey passed without any danger, however, and ended all too quickly. All too soon, Philip was stopping by the lit lantern that marked the path to the wardrobe, and Edmund slid reluctantly to the ground.

* * *

_Now my bit starts..._

He paused, with Philip, at the path leading to the place where, he knew, his world and Narnia joined.

"I don't want to go in there." He said softly to his friend. "I know I have to… I just don't want to."

"What is it, Prince?" Philip asked, causing Edmund to give him a surprised look – Philip didn't often give him his more formal title. "Why do you fear it so much?"

"I was horrible, Philip." Edmund admitted, a little unwillingly. "Oh, I know I'm sarcastic now, but I was really _horrible_ then. My little sister… Lucy… I was so cruel to her… I was everything I hate now. I was a liar, and a cheat and a bully… everything. And I'm scared, because if I go back, I might end up like that again. I don't ever want to be like that."

Philip gave a soft nicker, the nearest approximation to smile that he could give. "Then you won't be." He pointed out. "If you don't want to be, you won't. You're a good man, Edmund, and…"

He broke off, ears pricked and his entire stance wary. "Get on my back." He ordered suddenly, and Edmund knew better than to ask questions. Almost without thinking, he vaulted onto the stallions back, and allowed him to carry him into a thick clump of nearby trees.

"What is it?" he whispered, low and almost inaudible in the horse's ear.

"Someone's coming." The horse murmured back, "And as far as I can tell, they've only got two legs…"

They waited in complete silence for whoever it was to come into view; the only sound was soft breathing and the occasional crunch of compressing snow as Philip shifted. After a few moments, the person was so near, even Edmund, with his poor, human hearing, could hear their footsteps – whoever it was wasn't trying to hide their presence, walking boldly down a pathway heading right for the clearing in front of them.

A few more seconds, and the person stepped out into the clearing – a small, dark-haired somebody, wearing an ugly, war-time nightdress. With a cry, Edmund slid off Philip's back, and ran into the clearing.

"Lucy!" he cried, "What on earth are you doing here!"

His little sister looked at him with curiosity, and not a little fear.

"I'm sorry," She said, politely, but rather warily, "But I don't think I know you. Do you know me?"

Edmund stared at her, dumbstruck. "Lu – it's me. It's Edmund."

"But you _can't_ be Edmund." She said, still polite, but with a stubborn look on her face. "I was following Edmund just a few seconds ago. Peter – that's my eldest brother – told me that Ed had just gone to get a glass of water, and I followed him, because I was thirsty too. I was behind him just a minute ago. And anyway – you're far too old to be Edmund."

"Lucy, really, it's me." Edmund said, gently. "We're in a magical place, and I'm… I'm older here, Lu."

"If you're older – why aren't I older, too?" Lucy asked, reasonably.

"Oh, Lu, I've been here ages." Edmund told her, smiling. "About five years."

"It's not possible." She declared, crossing her arms over her chest in a gesture so full of her own, unique spirit that Edmund had to smile. He had missed this – he had missed his family.

"And finding an entire world in the back of a wardrobe is?" he retorted, still smiling.

She pulled a face at him, but smiled back.

He squatted down in front of her, and said, very seriously, "Lucy, I need you to do me a favour."

"What is it, Ed?" she asked, just as trusting as he remembered.

"I need you to fetch Susan and Peter for me. I need you to bring them here, because… well, because we're all special here, OK? And we're all needed. Can you do that for me?"

Lucy looked a little doubtful. "I don't know if they'll come, Eddie." She said, hesitantly. "You know how grown up Peter is – and how Susan likes to be all responsible." Edmund shook his head, wondering at all the things – all the little details – he had managed to forget about his brother and sisters. "They might not think that they should be walking around the house at night."

"Tell them…" Edmund thought about it for a second. "Tell them that you've found something, but you were waiting for tonight to tell them, because it, er… it looks much nicer at night." He looked down at her, very seriously, "They need to see Narnia, Lu. And I don't know when you'll be able to come again. I'll keep the door open, but you must go and fetch them."

"Why can't you come with me?" she asked, pleadingly, "It would be much easier if they could see you like this…"

"If the Prince goes through the Wardrobe," Philip said, stepping up beside Edmund, "He will look exactly as he did before. Time, as I think Aslan told you, Edmund, is relative. It is different in your world to how it is here. Edmund would be no more convincing than you – in fact, if what he told me is true, your brother and sister think him a liar, so he would be even less credible."

Lucy was staring at him in shock. "E-Edmund?" she stuttered. "Is the h-horse talking?"

"Yes." He grinned, amused, "Lucy, this if Philip, one of my closest friends. Philip, this is Lucy – my sister, and Crown Princess of Narnia."

"It looks like I'm well on my way to collecting the entire set of you Pevensies." Philip said, wryly. "But will you do it, Princess?"

Lucy looked up at Edmund's new, kind face, and smiled tremulously. "I'll try." She nodded, squaring her shoulders, bravely.

Edmund crouched down in the snow, and held out his arms to her. "I've missed you, Lu." He said, fondly. "Do I get a hug?"

"It's been ages since you asked me that." She laughed, a little. "It was before Dad went away, last time."

"I was a horrible brother." Edmund admitted, apologetically. "Can we call it quits?"

"Oh, yes." She said, throwing her arms around his neck, and squeezing. "Of course we can."

"Oh, and Lucy?" he said, hugging her back, then drawing back, and looking earnestly into her face, "Don't tell them anything about what you're showing them. Don't lie – just say it's a surprise. If you do, we both know that they'll say you're making it up, because it wouldn't be 'grown up' to say that they believe you." He ended on a humorous note, and she smiled, recognising the sarcasm for what it was.

"Alright, Ed." She said, quietly. "I'll try. I'll go and get them now."

Edmund and Philip followed her down to the place where the forest became fur coats, and watched as she slipped through the doorway between the worlds.

"This is a much better plan, Edmund." Philip acknowledged, giving his smiling nicker again, "Now you can escort them back to Aslan, with all the advantages that your age and training has given you. There is just one flaw…"

"Oh? What's that?"

"Well, time _is_ relative, after all." The horse said, "And how long are we going to have to wait for the Princess to return? How are we going to eat, and how are we going to defend ourselves, if we're attacked?"

Edmund chewed his bottom lip, thoughtfully. "Well, as for eating, if it gets really desperate, I'm sure I can find _something_ to eat, and we'll clear away some snow to get grass for you. Defence, I'm afraid, will have to be flight rather than fight. Even with my sword, it's not worth the risk of making a stand… Unless, of course, my brother and sisters come through, in which case you take them – can you carry three children at once?" Philip nodded. "Alright. In that case, you take them, and I'll distract the enemy. Better take three rather than one."

"Shouldn't you go, rather than me? Then all four of you would escape?"

"Philip, I know I'm good," Edmund smirked, with more humour than he really felt, "But even I can't carry three humans myself – and I admit that you can run faster than me."

"Fair point." Philip acknowledged. "We'd better just hope the Witch's troops don't find us…"

A pair of eyes gleamed in the woods to their right, as a small, grey shadow, half-wolf and half-human, listened to their conversation.

"Four humans…" it hissed softly to itself, in it's quiet, deadened voice. "That's interesting…" without a sound, it bounded off to the North, leaving Philip and Edmund to wait, in the trap of their own making.

* * *

And... over and out. Whadda ya think? Do tell...


	3. Chapter 3

I wasn't entirely sure of the age, because CS Lewis doesn't really mention them, does he? I did re-read The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe, but I didn't see it anywhere. Still, I think Sara Wolfe makes him fifteen, and seeing as this is over half her story, I'll stick with that!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Narnia Series - that's the estate of CS Lewis. Nor do I own the basic idea behind this story, that Edmund got in first, or Chapter one and half of Chapter 2 - that's property of Sara Wolfe and her awesome story 'Trial by Fire'. However, all plot twists from here on in are my own.

* * *

The pair of them waited about a week for Peter and Susan to come back with Lucy. Edmund had been worrying that it would be more than five years – "If it was five years here, but only a minute for Lucy to get in, will five minutes be twenty five years?" – but Philip reassured him that time's relativity depended on Aslan, and Aslan wouldn't let them wait twenty five years.

"You'd be nearly forty years old, Edmund!" he snickered, "And no use in a battle against the Witch."

They didn't dare to practice any sword play, though Edmund did practice a little of the unarmed combat he had been taught by Oreius. The problem with being taught unarmed combat by a centaur, as Edmund had soon found out, was that he only had two legs – and he didn't really have the height to pull off the arm movements, either, even now that he had grown so much more than his ten year old self.

In the end, Oreius and Edmund had sat down and modified the centaurs' ancient techniques into something far more workable for humans – though, as Edmund pointed out, he'd have to be attacking someone who didn't have a sword, so they'd be defenceless, and, as they wouldn't know the skill Edmund was using, he'd be attacking a completely helpless foe. Edmund's sense of honour rebelled against that, until Oreius – and Philip – had pointed out that sometimes, dishonourable things had to be done in war, and just how dishonourable was it to attack a person who would kill you in your sleep?

None of the moves Edmund used were complex, as neither of them knew exactly what they should be styling their moves on. The time when his moves worked the best was when he was on Philip, and could react more like a centaur than a human, with Philip providing the kicks, and Edmund the swordplay, or the punches.

When Edmund wasn't practicing, and Philip wasn't exercising his stiff muscles, they were looking for food, or talking. They were careful not to talk about anything important, always remembering the originally light-hearted Narnian saying: "Always remember that the trees have ears!". Since the Witch arrived, this saying had taken on a much more ominous meaning, so battle plans, talking about Aslan's camp and any of the people in it was out. On the other hands, they had been the firmest of friends for five years, and subject matter was never really an issue.

Although they were wary for spies, the two of them never noticed the grey shapes which occasionally moved in the trees, their eyes fixed on the horse and boy, always watching and listening and waiting.

* * *

On the seventh day, Edmund woke feeling surprisingly cheerful, for someone who had been living on scrounged, half-grown fruit for a week. To begin with, it had upset his stomach, and he had terrible cramps – but there was just nothing else to eat, and he couldn't trust anyone who lived around Lantern Waste to give him food and not tell the Witch, so he'd carried on eating it, and eventually got used to it.

"You're looking extremely happy." Philip remarked, when he woke.

"Yes." Edmund agreed, cheerfully. "I am, rather. How are you?"

"Oh, just wonderful." Philip grumbled, scrambling to his hooves. "Really great. I'd forgotten what it was like to sleep in snow every day – but I'm beginning to remember, and to remember just how much I didn't like it."

"Well, at least we'll soon be on our way home." Edmund shrugged.

"How can you be so sure?" Philip asked, "We could be here several more weeks."

"Oh, Philip," Edmund smirked, "How many times do I have to tell you that Time is relative?"

Philip made a mock lunge at him, which Edmund dodged very successfully. He then ruined it by slipping on the snow, and ending up flat on his back. Philip hastily muffled his laughter (which tended to be rather loud), but that did stop some rather undignified giggles escaping.

Edmund sat up and glared at him, and was about to speak, when a rather amused voice said,

"I'm sorry – have we interrupted something?"

Edmund stood up and turned to see his brother and sister staring at him, smiling but still confused, and Lucy grinning widely at him.

He gave a little bow. "Welcome to Narnia, my Prince. My Princesses."

"Oh, Ed, you are _funny_!" Lucy said, giggling herself, and cannon-balling into her older – now eldest – brother. "See, I told you I'd do it. It only took a few minutes!"

"Did _you_ tell Lucy to drag us out of bed and into the freezing cold?" Susan demanded. "Because I don't think much of it…"

"Susan, do be quiet." Edmund said, rather exasperated "Honestly, I know that you were sleeping soundly, but if you get over the fact that you're outside in the snow when you were tucked up in bed, you're in a _magical land_, in the _back of a wardrobe_! Isn't that the part you should be focussing on?"

She flushed a little. "Well, yes, I suppose so." She murmured. "I'm sorry."

Peter took a step forward, looking at Edmund a little warily, just as Lucy had done. "I'm sorry – but who _are_ you?"

"Peter!" Lucy said, surprised, "Can't you _see_ it's Edmund?"

"No, Lu, he can't." Edmund said, gently, "Just like you couldn't, remember? I've changed a lot, and you've had time to get used to it, but he's never seen me before."

"Look here," Peter interrupted, "You can't be Edmund. Edmund's younger than me, and he's not here, anyway. He just went off to get a glass of water – so who are you, really? Don't pretend to be my brother."

"But Peter, I really _am_ Edmund." Edmund told him, still rather perturbed by the fact that he was looking down at Peter, even if only by a little. "I still have my birthmark and everything – and that scar I got from playing cricket with you when we were little – and I've still got, oh, I don't know… that pink scar where I skinned my knees ages and ages ago…"

Peter was staring at him, as was Susan. "Edmund…" Susan breathed, taking a step forward. "How… How are you so much older, though?"

"I'm older," Edmund said, slowly, "Because I've been here a long time. Long enough to know that we should all be going pretty quickly, because we're going to get quite a bit of attention if we're not…" in the distance, a wolf howled, and Edmund flinched, "careful." He finished.

He gestured Philip forwards. "May I introduce my friend, Philip?" he said, formally, "Philip, you know Lucy, and the blond boy is Peter, and the older girl is Susan."

Peter and Susan were staring at him as if he was completely insane. "Edmund…" Peter began.

"It's alright, Peter, Philip speaks!" Lucy piped up, and the two (supposedly) eldest turned their worried looks on her, instead.

"Lucy, you know that that's not possible." Susan said, soothingly. "And I thought you grew out of pretending that animals talked?"

"Oh, stop trying to be so grown up, Susan!" Lucy snapped. "And anyway, Philip really does!"

"Indeed I do, your Highnesses." Philip interjected, dryly, and Susan and Peter gaped. "But I think the time for arguing about reality is past. If you would all climb aboard, please, we can get away from here – to somewhere we really can talk."

Susan and Lucy scrambled onto Philip's back, but when Peter saw that Edmund had no intention of doing the same, he sighed, and stayed on the ground with him. "I suppose you're walking?"

"Yes, I am." Edmund nodded. "But I know I can outrun the wolves, or at the very least outfight them. If wolves come, I want you to promise me that you'll get up on Philip and stay with the girls."

"Can – Philip – carry all three of us?"

"I've carried heavier weights than you three children, you Majesty." Philip himself answered. "And doubtless, I will again. If you won't give Prince Edmund your word, you shall give it to me."

"I promise." Peter said, a little reluctantly. "But I do think that you might let me stay and help you, Ed, if it comes to a fight."

"Your Majesty doesn't have the same training as Edmund. The Prince is a warrior; you are a child. Doubtless you'll grow into a fine, strong king, and a warrior too," Philip had already started walking. "But until that day, let Edmund get on with it. He can't fight a battle and protect you, you know."

Peter blushed hotly. "I know." He said. "So, Ed… tell us all about this place – Narnia, did you call it?"

As they walked, Edmund explained about the Witch, and the one hundred years of winter – but never Christmas. He explained about the growing resistance movement led by Aslan, about the wolves who were Jardis' secret police, and even told them about the prophecy which concerned them, and meant that they had to be so very careful.

"And if Aslan knew how things had turned out," he finished, "I'm sure that he'd have sent people to protect us, and help us, and would have told us how to do this, who we could trust, and he'd have made sure we were better prepared. As it is, I think he meant for me to go through the Wardrobe, and prepare back there, in England, I mean."

"Why didn't you?" Susan asked, reasonably.

Edmund looked at her, solemnly. "Su, if I had come to you, looking like the child I was, and told you I'd found a magical land in a wardrobe, where we were to rule as Kings and Queens, what would you have thought?"

"I'd have thought you were pulling my leg." She admitted. "I see now. Of course it was more sensible to ask Lucy to come and fetch us – but how did you meet Lucy?"

"She'd already found Narnia, hadn't you, Lu?" Edmund grinned at her. "And I knew you trusted Lucy, and if you didn't believe her, you would at least have followed her, just to humour her. You wouldn't have done that for me."

"We were really horrible to you, weren't we, Ed?" Peter said, sadly, and Edmund flashed him his wide smile.

"No worse than I was to you. Hey, Philip, what's that noise?"

"What noise, Edmu… oh. Peter, on my back!"

Peter looked round, and saw four grey shadows, streaking across the snow towards them, baying out a warning, and a command to stop. "Oh!" he said, as if he'd been hurt, but without further ado, Edmund booted him up onto Philip, and said, fiercely,

"Grip with your knees, and don't let go – Peter, look after the girls, and don't, whatever you do, don't fall off. Make sure you stay together all of you. Now, we must run."

For a while, Edmund managed to stay up with the horse, who was only cantering, but it wasn't going to be long before the wolves were too close to stay so slow. Finally, Edmund panted out,

"It's no good – you must gallop, Philip. I'll be alright. I see you back at the camp."

"Aslan speed, Edmund!" Philip murmured, and, with a horse's high scream, leapt forwards into a gallop. Edmund watched them for a few seconds, before turning back, drawing his sword, and facing the wolves.

* * *

Thanks, as always, to everyone who reviewed, they mean a lot. Please tell me what you think of this chapter - I know it's cliched, but I rather liked it... ;-)

I'm done.

lol, ami xxx


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